1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved apparatus for opening bags lying flat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One apparatus of the type with which this invention is concerned is known from Swiss Patent CH 315224. In this known apparatus, one bag lying flat at a time is taken from a bag magazine by means of a suction arm, which is located linearly displaceably and pivotably in a shaft. The bag that is removed is transferred, after a pivoting motion of the arm, to a rotor that has four receiving places for bags. The rotor is rotatable in increments of 90° each in a vertically disposed shaft and firmly holds each bag during its entire conveying travel, or during the entire rotation of the rotor, by means of a gripper device. The grasping of each bag by the gripper device is made possible by two suction devices that engage diametrically opposed sides of the bag. A further suction device for opening the bag is provided in the region of a filling station that makes it possible to introduce a filling tube into the bag. The known apparatus, because of the high number of gripper devices, is relatively complicated in its construction. Moreover, the capacity of the known apparatus is limited by the fact that only one bag at a time can be dispensed to the rotor.